Britain

The United Kingdom is comprised of Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) and Northern Ireland. With a long and storied history, visitors to this island nation must devote ample time to its many treasures. Your Ritz Tours vacation flies into London, then proceeds via luxury motorcoach for an introduction to this spectacular nation: Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford, Stratford, Manchester, the Lake District, Edingburgh, York, and Cambridge.

SELECT A VACATION SERIES:

Europe Adventure

The Europe Adventure

Deluxe Experience - Feel the centuries-old history and culture of Europe, exploring its many famous cities

Knowledgeable and experienced tour manager

Historic site visits for your delight

Deluxe hotels for your comfort

Extensive itinerary for your enjoyment

International airfare included

Post Departure Travel insurance included if paid in full 60 days prior to departure

England – With a population of 52M, England is the most populous country in the UK. Its location lies in the southern part of the Isle of Great Britain. England is home of the famous Neolithic monument Stonehenge and gave birth to the legendary playwright William Shakespeare (Stratford-Upon-Avon). England is today a constitutional monarchy.

Scotland – Sharing a border with its neighbor to the south, Scotland occupies the northern third of the Isle of Great Britain. It was an independent monarchy until 1707, when it entered into a treaty with England to create the UK. Scotland is home to over 5M people, 90% of which are Scottish, the remainder being English and Welsh origin.

Wales – Bordering England to the East, the 3M inhabitants of Wales speak both English and Welsh. Its capital and largest city (population over 300,000) is Cardiff.

CLIMATE

The UK is located between 50-60 degrees northerly latitude, resulting in warm summers and cool winters with plentiful rain throughout the year. England has the mildest climate in the UK, with Scotland having the coolest and wettest average weather throughout the year. The four seasons are pronounced in the UK, with each lasting about three months. A person visiting the UK can expect 3 out of every 10 days to be cloudy.

LANGUAGE

While the UK does not have an officially mandated language, English is spoken by 70% of the population. Welsh comes in second at 20%, followed by Irish at 7%, and then Scottish Gaelic at 1%.

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS

England & Wales:

January 1 – New Years Day

March/April – Good Friday

March/April - Easter Monday

First Monday in May – Early May Bank Holiday

Last Monday in May – Spring Bank Holiday

Last Monday in August – Summer Bank Holiday

December 25 – Christmas Day

December 26 – Boxing Day

Northern Ireland:

January 1 – New Years Day

March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day

March/April – Good Friday

March/April - Easter Monday

First Monday in May – Early May Bank Holiday

Last Monday in May – Spring Bank Holiday

July 12 – Bank Holiday

Last Monday in August – Summer Bank Holiday

December 25 – Christmas Day

December 26 – Boxing Day

Scotland:

January 1 – New Years Day

January 2 – 2nd day of January

March/April – Good Friday

First Monday in May – Early May Bank Holiday

Last Monday in May – Spring Bank Holiday

First Monday in August – Summer Bank Holiday

November 30 – St. Andrew’s Day

December 25 – Christmas Day

December 26 – Boxing Day

MONEY

Although the UK is a member of the EU, the pound sterling is the official currency used in the United Kingdom. It is commonly referred to as the “pound” and locally called the “quid.” The pound is subdivided into 100 pence (likened to the US dollar being subdivided into 100 cents). Tourists will find it easy to exchange the US dollar for pounds: airport, local banks, post offices, travel agencies, or at the hotel. Credit cards are accepted at almost all shops.